EXHIBITION: Enter the world of Norman Swann, elderly architect and proprietor of an elaborate apartment in South Kensington. As Norman struggles to deal with the burden of his cultural heritage, the arrival of his unscrupulous former
student, now a famous architect to the stars, threatens to destabilise his fragile existence.

EXHIBITION: Presenting one of the world’s greatest artistic traditions, Masterpieces of Chinese Painting 700-1900 will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see rare surviving works of art drawn from collections around the world.

DISPLAY: At the turn of the 20th century, entertainment by and for the people was at its peak in Britain. Audiences jostled, boozed and sang along in over 500 music halls. Music halls were a result of Britain’s expanding commercial power, and for newly affluent workers they provided an escape from working life.

DISPLAY: 'Beautiful Writing pleases everyone, it makes one sought after,' explained the French writer Père Gregoire Martin in 1761. Having a fine writing hand was not only a useful skill but the sign of an educated and genteel person

DISPLAY: Part of the Brits Who Built the Modern World season.
This display is the first part of a major exhibition organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Through drawings, watercolours, photographs and models it examines where, why and how British architects built internationally, both inside and outside the Empire.

Courses

YEAR COURSE: Explore the great design movements, practice and practitioners associated with the twentieth centuries and discover the background to their genesis in the events that began around the year 1900.
Mondays, 16 September 2013 - 16 July 2014 (over 3 terms), 11.00-15.30

YEAR COURSE: Explore the art, architecture and decorative arts of East Asia, focussing on the ancient civilisations of
China, Korea and Japan.
Mondays, 16 September 2013 - 21 July 2014 (over 3 terms), 11.10-15.30

TOUR: Take a guided tour of the V&A's exciting theatre and performance collections, including rock & pop posters, theatre and ballet costumes, puppets, stage sets and more! See new costumes from the Lion King now on display.